“Stranger Things” creators reveal which actor was first choice to play Hopper: 'You f---ed up!'

Emlyn TravisMon, May 18, 2026 at 5:28 PM UTC

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David Harbour as Chief Hopper on 'Stranger Things'
Credit: NetflixKey Points -

Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer were asked by star David Harbour to identify the actor who passed on his eventual role of Jim Hopper.

The creators revealed that Billy Crudup was their first choice for Hawkins' police chief.

Matt also joked that they're "out to Billy Crudup" for a potential role in their forthcoming Stranger Things spinoff.

The town of Hawkins almost had a very different police chief.

During a recent Happy Sad Confused interview, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer were asked by series star David Harbour to finally reveal the actor whom they originally intended to play Jim Hopper before him.

“I would like to know the casting process of Hopper,” Harbour said in a pre-recorded video that aired during the conversation. “I’m pretty sure I was second choice, and I don't know who I was second choice to — Maybe I was third choice? But would you please answer the question of how I came to be cast as Chief Hopper, and who had to say no to allow me to do that wonderful, incredible role?”

Crudup in New York last September
Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty

The Duffers were taken aback by the question. “I can’t believe he wants us to say this,” Ross admitted. “I believe he was… We did go out to someone prior to David. Someone who had been less of just a supporting actor.”

Matt added that they’d never told Harbour that the individual is actually one of his friends. Host Josh Horowitz then revealed that Harbour’s working theory was that the Duffers had tapped Josh Brolin before him.

“No, it was Billy Crudup,” Matt replied. “Which is a very different — like, everything happens for a reason, right? So it’s like, once it kind of clicks into place. But yeah, Billy Crudup passed.”

Matt acknowledged that Crudup wasn’t “doing much TV at the time” they were casting the hit Netflix series, which ran for five seasons. Crudup has since made the leap to television screens in Apple TV’s The Morning Show.

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While Crudup may have caught their eye at first, Ross noted that it was clear that Harbour was Hopper after his first audition.

“David just, honestly, he just came in and one of our casting directors thought he could be great for the role,” he said. “He came and read. He just did one take. We weren’t even there, we just saw the tape, and it was just so clear, instantly: This is Hopper. And we just cast him right then and there.”

That being said, it seems the Duffer Brothers are keeping a gate to the Upside Down open for Crudup if he’s ever interested in heading down to Hawkins.

When asked for an update on the status of the forthcoming Stranger Things spinoff, Matt joked, “We’re out to Billy Crudup. We’ll see! Fingers crossed. Fingers f---ing crossed. You f---ed up last time!”

The brothers admitted there wasn’t much they could say about the show at this point. “Last time I even mentioned it I got, like, in trouble,” Matt said. “We’re being very careful. We don’t want to rush it. We don’t want it to be anything but excellent.”

Watch the Duffers discuss casting Stranger Things in the clip above.

on Entertainment Weekly

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